UnionsWA has commented on the release today of the Mid-Year Financial Projections Statement (available online here) and the announcement of a scoping project to consider privatisation of Landgate.

Meredith Hammat, Secretary, UnionsWA said:

“At the election just nine months ago the people of Western Australia firmly rejected privatisation. 

“This Government made a commitment to the people of WA that they would stop privatisation of existing public sector services.

“Landgate holds in trust and manages data for lands throughout our state.

“This is an issue for all home and landowners in WA and goes to the integrity and security of information about public and private lands.

“For the majority of working people, their family home is one of their most important financial assets”

“If Landgate were privatised home-owner fees will increase but our public finances only get a one-off revenue injection from a sale.

“Privatisation is short-sighted and ends up costing us all more in the long term.

“We have seen over and over again that privatisation usually means higher prices and cuts to services because private companies exist to make a profit.

“For public finances to be put on a sound footing we need to invest in, not weaken, the capacity of our public sector to better manage its information resource.

“We also need to explore sources for revenues that can be fairly raised, rather than relying on households to bear even more costs.”